Decoy



Sept. 6, 1932. G. HORTON 1,875,733

pEcoY Filed A ug. 25, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

G71 Moo/7% L [TOM/0n fl. ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFIC DECOY Application filed August 25, 1930. Serial No.477, 527.

The present invention relates to a wild fowl decoy construction and more particularly to the making of the head and bill of said decoy.

In the making of decoys for the decoying of wild fowl, it is customary to make the head and bill of the decoy integral from a single piece of wood. Inasmuch as the bill extends forwardly beyond the body of a decoy, the

1 bill is frequently broken, while the body of the decoy is still in good condition, due to the rough handling to which decoys are necessarily subjected.

Furthermore, in making the bill integral with the head of the decoy, the bill must be made with the grain of the wood, lengthwise thereof so as to obtain the maximum strength.

WVith this construction the bill of a decoy is usually made extending straight fOl'WfllL from the head and decoys made in this manner have an unnatural appearance, as ordinarily live ducks on the water hold their heads so as to incline the bill slightly clownward.

An object of the present invention is to make a simplified and improved decoy bill.

In order to attain this object, there is pro vided, in accordance with one feature of the invention, a decoy bill made of sheet metal 250 having the rear end thereof curved so as to fit on the rounded head portion of a decoy, and having an extension on the lower side thereof for securing to the under side of the decoy head.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully brought out in the follow ing description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a decoy embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the bill; and

Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of the bill shown in Figure 2.

" Referring to the drawing in detail, a decoy A comprises a conventional body portion 1 and a head 2 which may be of wood constructed substantially similar to that of an ordinary wooden or cork decoy with the exception that instead of having a bill formed integrally therewith, the forward end thereof is rounded to receive the metal bill comprising the present invention.

The present bill 3 is formed of sheet metal, stamped, or otherwise formed to the shape shown, having the rear end thereof curved so as to fit over the rounded forward end of the head portion of the decoy. A strip 4 of metal is preferably formed extending rearwardly from the lower portion of the bill so as to be curved under the head of the decoy, as illustrated in Figure 1, and the upper portion as at 8 is extended rearwardly a suflicient distance to overlie the top of the head base portion 2; The bill may be secured in place by twosmall nails 5 and 6 which penetrate the sheet metal of the decoy bill and are driven into the head of the decoy. The

-bill may be tilted up or down, as desired, to

give a life-like appearance to the decoy.'

These bills also may be used for re-placement of bills on, old decoys by simply cutting off the original wooden bill of the decoy, rounding off the forward portion of the head, and securing the present type of bill in place, as illustrated.

Bills made according to my invention are easily nested for shipping by inserting the forward end of one bill into the open rear end of another bill.

The line 7 on the drawing of Figures 1 and 2 simply indicates coloring on the forward portion of the bill, which is colored darker or lighter, as desired, depending upon the kind of duck it is intended to simulate.

I claim:

A decoy head having a solid rear portion of penetrable material, the forward side thereof being curved, and a hollow sheet metal bill having the rearward end thereof open and curved to fittingly engage the curved forward portion of said penetrable portion, the upper and lower rear edges of said bill portion being extended to overlie the penetrable head portion, and pointed metallic means secured to each of said extensions and driven into the penetrable head portion to secure the bill in adjusted position thereon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GILBERT L. HORTON. 

